The Chinese pair took their victory 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 7- 11, 9-11, 11-9
in the bronze medal match which lasted more than one hour.

Niu
Jianfeng and Guo Yue celebrate their victory. [Xinhua]

The match was extremely close and breathtaking as the tenacious South Koreans
staged a strong comeback from 1-3 behind to earn a 3- 3 draw and also led 7-5 in
the deciding game. However, the Chinese pair caught up for a 7-7 and then a 9-9
draw before taking two more crucial points to end the match.

This was the first table tennis medal from this Olympic tournament, which
started in the Galatsi Olympic Hall in northwest Athens on Aug. 14. Guo and Niu
lost to their teammates Wang Nan/ Zhang Yining Thursday in an all-Chinese
semifinal.

Wang and Zhang will play South Korean pair Lee Eun Sil/Seok Eun Mi in the
final which is scheduled to begin shortly after the bronze medal match.